UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Predictors and patterns of gambling behaviour across the COVID-19 lockdown: Findings from a UK cohort study

Fluharty, M; Paul, E; Fancourt, D; (2022) Predictors and patterns of gambling behaviour across the COVID-19 lockdown: Findings from a UK cohort study. Journal of Affective Disorders , 298 (Pt A) pp. 1-8. 10.1016/j.jad.2021.10.117. Green open access

[thumbnail of 1-s2.0-S016503272101199X-main.pdf]
Preview
Text
1-s2.0-S016503272101199X-main.pdf - Published Version

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy has raised concerns about negative coping behaviours to offset financial losses. We used a subset of a longitudinal study of UK adults (N = 19,963) to examine a range of predictors of (i) gambling during the first strict lockdown, (ii) gambling more frequently during this strict lockdown compared to before lockdown, and (iii) continued increased frequency of gambling during the relaxation of restrictions. Results from logistic regressions indicated that amongst other factors, those with progressively lower levels of education, were stressed due to boredom, frequently drank alcohol, and had high risk-taking tendencies were more likely to gamble during strict lockdown. Individuals who were more likely to have increased their frequency of gambling during strict lockdown compared to before the lockdown were stressed by boredom, employed, frequently drank alcohol, and had depression and anxiety, whilst men and current smokers were less likely. As lockdown restrictions eased, individuals of ethnic minority backgrounds, who were current smokers, and with lower educational attainment were more likely to continue gambling more than usual. Findings contribute to knowledge of who is most at risk for increasing their gambling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Type: Article
Title: Predictors and patterns of gambling behaviour across the COVID-19 lockdown: Findings from a UK cohort study
Location: Netherlands
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.10.117
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.10.117
Language: English
Additional information: © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Keywords: COVID-19, Coping, Gambling, Lockdown, Risk behaviours
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Behavioural Science and Health
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10138668
Downloads since deposit
94Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item